<Last Match Review: Urawa Reds>
He gave it his all. As the whistle signaling the end of the game and the victory echoed through the Saitama Stadium 2002, Teppei OKA player lay on the pitch, making a big "X" shape with his body and repeatedly making a strong, small victory pose with both hands.
"It feels like I've given it my all. I approach each game as an opportunity and give it my all with the mindset of using all the power I have."
In the previous match, Urawa Reds faced an away game with a victory in the league for the first time in about two months at the Japan National Stadium. They were blessed with a development of successfully leading by two points with an own goal and a penalty kick by Ryotaro ARAKI player until the 15th minute of the first half, and showed a game play of "almost perfect in the first half" (Masato MORISHIGE player) with a high press and a calm ball movement.
Tokyo, who took control of the game with solid defense and skillful possession in the second half, continued their ideal game. In the midst of this ideal game, it was number 30 who ignited the packed away side goal end with a soulful sliding block in the 16th minute of the second half.
A big pinch welcomed in their own penalty area. Against the powerful shot from Yu OKUBO, who ran in freely from behind with a soft last pass, Julian dashed fiercely in the shortest distance from the center to the left side, stretched out his right foot and made a passionate block at the very last moment. He immediately stood up, raised a roar and appealed his presence to the entire stadium with a strong guts pose.
"It's already a feeling. I was really fired up. With the single-minded desire to help the team."
Entered the second game as a left back. He has shown his height in defense against cross balls and has functioned as a target for goal kicks in attack. The 186cm tall defender says, "If I can't show my height, there's no point in me being here." Throughout the game, he demonstrated his awareness of taking a high position while coordinating with the defensive midfielder, supporting the team as a starting point by connecting the ball to the front line while avoiding the opponent's press and adding thickness to the attack. He is truly exploring new territory in the position of "Thales", which he has not played in an official game since his time with FC Tokyo U-23 in 2019.
The game was won by maintaining this lead and achieving a clean sheet. The team showed Tokyo's style in both offense and defense, silencing the Saitama Stadium 2002, which was dyed red, with a brilliant shutout performance, and successfully secured a consecutive victory in the league.
<Match Preview>
Last match, we had a great victory of 2-0 against Urawa Reds away. We showed our strengths both in offense and defense, and following the match against Nagoya Grampus at National Stadium, we were able to secure another win.
The team has successfully taken control of the game with a combination of their traditional sharp attacks and well-timed possession in the Nagoya and Urawa matches. As the season comes to an end, they have shown a skillful game control.
The driving force behind this is the presence of Keigo HIGASHI, who has established himself as a regular in the defensive midfield position. Not only does he maintain the team's balance with precise positioning, but he also plays the role of a playmaker who actively contributes to the attack. He truly shows his presence as the "number 10" and also reveals his fighting spirit as a "warrior" who pushes forward with determination.
In addition, in the previous match, Ryotaro ARAKI scored a goal for the first time in about 4 months since May 15th in the league. After scoring, he showed a powerful jumping guts pose, revealing his emotions for the long-awaited strike. The full-packed goal end shared the joy with the number 71 with the call and chant of "ARAKI! Tokyo!" after the match.
The upcoming match will be the second consecutive away game for aiming for the third consecutive victory this season against Yokohama F.Marinos. Since their victory in July 2020, they have suffered a club-worst 8 goals in the 2021 season, including 2 draws and 6 losses, and they want to overcome this bad compatibility. It will also be a reunion for coach Peter Cklamovski, player Teruhito Nakagawa, and player Keita Endo, who will face their former team.
Yokohama FM is currently in 9th place in the league. In addition to advancing in the YBC Levain Cup and Emperor's Cup, they are also participating in the AFC Champions League elite, making it a very busy schedule. Last week, they suffered a tough situation, losing to Gwangju FC in the ACL and Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the league, with a total of 13 goals conceded in 2 games. However, in the quarterfinals of the Emperor's Cup held on Wednesday this week, they finally broke through the tunnel of 4 consecutive losses in official matches by defeating Renofa Yamaguchi FC 5-1. The team has tightened up both their offense and defense due to the continued high number of goals conceded, and there is a high possibility that they will come out with a switch turned on as a whole team in this week's match against Tokyo.
First of all, Tokyo should be on high alert for the destructive attacking force led by the Brazilian trio. Although the opponent will be without Nishimura due to suspension and will only have two days of rest before the game against Yamaguchi, there should be no room for complacency. The players should have felt the importance of taking the lead and smoothly controlling the game in the previous two matches against Nagoya and Urawa. Starting with a solid defense that has been shown during the winning streak, we want to find opportunities to win through a combination of quick and slow attacks.
To return to Ajinomoto Stadium after achieving their second consecutive victory in the league this season. The blue and red players head to the pitch of Nissan Stadium with an aggressive style in mind.
[Interview with Peter Cklamovski]
Q, it will be a memorable match for Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI at this venue.
A, the place where my son was born and the city of Yokohama where I touched the J-League trophy are special places for me. However, it is most important to focus on our way of playing and concentrate on the game. We will work hard and bring back 3 points to Tokyo.
Q, Please tell us your impression of Yokohama F.Marinos.
A, we need to be prepared for the opponent to come in their best condition. Yokohama FM is a very good team and has good players. In order to get 3 points from such an opponent, it is important for us to exert our maximum strength.
Q, please tell me the reasons for the last 2 wins.
A, scoring the first goal is important to gain an advantage in the game. However, what is more important is to continue the good momentum after scoring the first goal. We have established discipline as a team in all aspects. If we can express what we need to do as a team with a high performance, it will ultimately come back as a result. We want to prepare well to express ourselves from the first minute.
Q, this will be the second consecutive 3-game winning streak of the season.
A, hard work is necessary for that. If it's just a matter of saying it, it's easy. We want to aggressively pursue a strong belief in our football and strive to be better than our opponents in every situation.
[Player Interview]
Teppei OKA
Q, Yokohama F.Marinos has a strong attacking lineup. How do you plan to contain them?
Player Matheus YAN, who comes in with a left-handed cut-in, is a very talented player. I want to block the opponent's dribble course, chase them down, and bring them into my own defensive range. I want to focus on defense that doesn't allow easy crosses or shots, and this week I have been working on 1-on-1 defense and responding to the sidelines. I want to use what I have confirmed in practice effectively.
Q, Please tell us about the synergy between Kota TAWARATSUMIDA and Keita ENDO, as well as other attackers on the same side, in terms of offense and defense.
A, I am conscious of supporting the players who play in front of me so that they can demonstrate their power in attack, as well as my own hard work in defense. I hope to communicate and position myself in a way that the players in the front line do not exhaust their energy in defense, and that I can cover and support them. I have a strong desire for the players on the same side to use their dribbling and forward propulsion to excel in attack.
Q, On the other hand, it seemed that Teppei OKA was also carefully checking his involvement in the attack during practice.
When the left wing player has the ball, it is important to be able to distract the opponent's marking and awareness. I also expect myself to take a position on the inside and make movements to attract the opponent. When I have the ball, I want to be involved in the build-up by working together with Takahiro KO and Ryotaro ARAKI, who will support me nearby.
<Keigo HIGASHI>
Q, We won two consecutive victories despite changing members. What kind of response do you have?
A, Each player has their own strengths, and it's not about who is playing, but rather how to bring out the individuality and strengths of each player. This is the essence of soccer. Soccer has different situations in each game, and flexibility in how to fight is required. In the Nagoya Grampus game, we were able to take the lead and score additional points at a good pace, which gave us momentum and led to victory. However, in the Urawa Reds game, the opponent took control from the middle of the game. It's important to adjust and control well on the pitch. Once again, these were two games where I felt the excitement of soccer.
Q, it seems that plays and movements that are conscious of the connection between the front line and the midfield are bringing depth to the attack.
A, While watching the game, I think "I should do this more" when I am not able to play, and when I am on the pitch, I am conscious of expressing my thoughts of "I want to change it like this" through my play. Of course, my own positioning also requires judgment based on the situation. There are also situations where it is meaningful to keep the position in the midfield without going forward forcibly. I think that flexible responses are required, and in the last two games, I played in a high position many times, but if not going is effective, I will make the decision not to go, and I want to watch the opponent's movements and tactics well and make a judgment.
Q, There were also plays that were particularly concerned about the defensive aspect during this week's practice.
A, it's fun, isn't it? I think it's my own strength to play while looking around. Soccer is a sport that requires an opponent, so you have to surpass the opponent's individuality and way of fighting by observing and thinking, "I don't want to be like this." Both offense and defense are two sides of the same coin. For example, if there is a player who is the starting point for the opponent, you have to approach them strictly. This is not about tactics, but more about intuition and the ability to sense the situation, and that is what soccer is all about.
